Headlight-dimmer



W. C. BAKER.

HEADLIGHT DIMMER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 19, 1919.

1,359,656, Patented Nov; 23, 1920.

mlliam C.Ba7er;

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CL or-ney.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM C. BAKER, F AMESBURY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Application filed December 19, 1919.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, VILLIAM C. BAKER, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Amesbury, in the countyof Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Headlight-Dimmers, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact specification.

The object of this invention is the construction of improved means forreducing or dimming at will the intensity of illumination of the headlights of automobiles and the like, both for the purpose of savingapproaching vehicles or of pedestrians crossing the road ahead from theblinding effects of the glare, and also as a means for signaling toother automobiles or trucks.

To this end I have provided a foot operated push button adapted whendepressed to switch into the lighting circuit a sufficient amount ofresistance to reduce the-intensity of the electric head light thedesired extent.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is acentral vertical section of a dimmer embodying my improvements, showingthe same wired to a head light and a source of current. Fig. 2 is ahorizontal section on the line in Fig. 1.

As shown, the head light 1 is connected by a wire 2 to a source ofcurrent 3, while wires 4 and 5 pass respectively from the head light andthe. current source to the dimmer.

The dimmer comprises a stem or bolt 6 having a broad head 7 at itslowerend. and a button 9 at its upper end. Normally in contact with thehead 7 are twb contact blocks 10. 11, one in circuit. with the wire 4and the other with the wire 'ith the head 7 thus in touch with both ofthe contacts 10 and 11. the current passes from the source 3 through thewire 5 to the c contact 10, thence through the head 7 to the contact 11,and the wire 4 to the light 1, then through the wire 2 back to thesource.

The contacts 10, 11 are supported by an nsulating sleeve 12 throughwhich the bolt (3 freely passes,-and spaced from these contacts is acoil of insulating wire 13 for which the sleeve 12 acts as an insulatingHEADLIGHT-DINNER.

Patented Nov. 23, 1920.

Serial No. 345,982.

spool. The terminals of this coil are connected, as by wires 14, 15, tothe contacts 10, 11, so that whenever the bolt head 7 is depressed andthereby breaks the circuit between these contacts, the only path for thecurrent is through the wires 14, 15 and the c011 13. The amount ofresistance thus introduced into the circuit at once reduces theintensity of current delivered to the head light, and correspondinglyreduces the intensity of its illumination.

The bolt 6 is normally held with its head 7 in touch with the contacts10, 11 by means of a helical spring 16 between a plate 17 which issuitably fastened to the sleeve 12 and to the automobile floor or othersuitable place, and the under surface of the button 9 or a washer 18beneath it, which is preferahly screwed onto the bolt 6.

Thus constructed, all that needs to be done in order to dim the headlight is to press down on the button 9 sufficiently to remove its head 7out of touch with the contacts 10, 11. If the chauifeur'wishes to flasha signal to someone ahead, he can d epress thebutton in a series of dotsand dashesor other combinations of alternating light and semi-darkness.

lVhat I claim is: I

A head light dimmer comprising a thimble composed of insulatingmaterial, the thimble having a contracted portion near its upper end,resistance coils located in said contracted portion, contact terminalsattached to the lower portion of said thimble, one contact terminal incircuit with one terminal of said coils and the other with the otherterminal of the coils, a plunger located in the axial center of saidthimble and freely reciprocative therein, said plunger having a head atits lower end adapted to be in touch with both of said contact terminalswhen the plunger is in its uppermost position, a knob attached to theupper end of said plunger, and a helical spring between said knob andthimble for normally holding the said head in touch with said contactterminals.-

In testimony that I claim the foregoing invention, I have hereunto setmy hand this 16th day of December 1919.

WILLIAM C, BAKER,

